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Fall Inspired Vegetarian Bibimbap

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: Korean, Vegetarian
Keyword: asianfood, bibimbap, comfort food, koreanfood, vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Author: Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potatoes:

  • 1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

For the Korean vegetable toppings:

  • 4 cups bean sprouts
  • 4 to 5 cups kale; chopped
  • 1 large zucchini; cut into 2-inch matchstick strips
  • 8 to 9 shiitake mushrooms; sliced thin
  • 4 carrots; peeled and cut into 2-inch matchstick strips
  • Sesame oil
  • Low sodium soy sauce
  • Salt
  • Minced garlic
  • Roasted sesame seeds

For the Bibimbap:

  • 3 to 5 tablespoons Korean hot pepper paste Gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Cooked brown or white rice
  • 4 fried eggs
  • Dried seaweed gim; optional
  • Roasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • Diced scallions for garnish

Instructions

For the Sweet Potatoes:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a lined baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until nicely browned on the outside.

For the vegetable toppings:

  • Note: Cooking all of the vegetables may seem overwhelming but it really does not take much time at all and all of the vegetables use the same ingredients. You can also use the same pot for each vegetable. Simply drain the water and quickly rinse out.
  • Boil a pot of water on the stove. Once boiling, add the bean sprouts and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes only. You want the bean sprouts to be tender but still slightly crunchy and not too soft. Remove from pot (drain water) and season with a dash or two of sesame oil, a pinch of salt and some minced garlic. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, mix and set aside.
  • Boil another pot of water on the stove. Once boiling, add the chopped kale and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes only. Remove from pot (drain water), squeeze kale a few times to release all the water and season with a big dash or two of sesame oil, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of soy sauce and some minced garlic. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, mix and set aside.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (or olive oil) in a large non-stick pan or wok. Once heated, add the zucchini and sauté for a couple minutes. Season with salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (or olive oil) in a large non-stick pan or wok. Once heated, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Season with salt, a splash or 2 of soy sauce if desired. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked and tender.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (or olive oil) in a large non-stick pan or wok. Once heated, add the carrots and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes only. The carrots don’t need any seasoning as they are already slightly sweet and will be mixed in with everything else in the bibimbap. Remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble and serve your Bibimbap:

  • To prepare the gochujang: Mix the hot pepper paste, honey and sesame oil together and set aside. Taste and adjust any ingredients as needed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
  • To serve the bibimbap: Place some rice in each serving bowl and place each vegetable topping around the edge of the bowl. Top with a fried egg and garnish with the gim and sprinkle on some roasted sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with the gochujang sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

Serve the gochujang sauce on the side, and let your guests pour on themselves to control the level of spiciness!